Dean slammed on the breaks. Dean decided right then, that he was going to be damned if he didn't act on what he was feeling right then.

Because, Jesus Christ, he was tired of tip-toeing around it, or waiting for the right moment, or waiting to make sure this was the right thing. Because, dammit, if he didn't do something now, he would never know. Besides, They were alone in the middle of fucking nowhere and Sam wasn't anywhere near here to cockblock him for the umpteenth time.

"Cas?" Dean said, clearing his throat, incredibly aware of how his voice squeaked a little, and he almost felt some awkward doubt again, but pushed it aside because he knew he'd back to square one like every other second of his life lately, where he was wondering, me and Cas, could this be real?

Castiel was a little shocked from the abrupt stop, and he was doing the head-tilt thing, looking at Dean, and Dean couldn't even handle how adorable that was, how everything about Castiel was as adorable as fuck.

Dean cleared his throat again. "I need to tell you something, Cas," Dean said, his voice huskier than usual. It felt thick with everything Dean was dying to say to Cas right then.

Castiel squinted with curiosity. Dean remembered all the times Castiel had looked at Dean which such longing, Dean wondered what happened to those days, wondered if he was making a mistake, but he had to keep going, his heart was on a one way trip to Castiel or bust. Cas was just cool, calm and collected and Dean was scrambled and frazzled as hell. But shit, it needed to be said.

"Cas…Cas. I love you, Cas." There. He said it. He wished they were in a motel room right now. Because at the moment they were both restrained by their seat belts…fuck it. This seat belt needs to get out of the fucking way right now, Dean undid his and moved closer to Cas, but still not touching him. Castiel had a look of utter shock on his face, and Dean's heart was ready to sink. He closed his eyes just like he had on the Panic Plunge ride in Idaho, when it started falling a hundred miles a minute. He braced himself for the little speech he was expecting to hear. After all, this was Dean Winchester's life. Nothing ever went right, did it? Castiel was going to start telling him how he used to feel that way, but Dean never made a move, so he moved on…

"Dean?"

Dean opened his eyes. Castiel was looking at him very intently. "I love you too, Dean. I'm…I'm surprised at your recent desire to bring this out in the open. I'm pleased as well." Castiel smiled right then, a very rare thing that Dean had only seen a few times in his life.

His heart exploded. It soared. Castiel fucking loves me and I love him and TO FUCK WITH waiting around… Dean scooted closer to him. He made one move, now it was time to make another…and Cas was eyefucking him so hard just like he always had but now everything was out in the open they weren't pretending their feelings were something they had to ignore because, damn that's gay or whatever millions of lame excuses Dean had for keeping his feelings down for Cas.

He. Needed. To. Kiss. Cas. Right. Now. And he was scooping Castiel into his arms and laying a kiss on him, and Castiel's eagerness lifted Dean's heart even further, which Dean hadn't thought was possible at this moment. Castiel was meeting him with the same eagerness and Dean was thinking why in the hell did I put this off? And they were kissing, slowly, tenderly, Castiel's scratchy lips felt just as amazing as he'd imagined, Castiel with his arms around him was better than any sex he'd ever had in his life.

Dean made out with Castiel fervently, a little surprised that inexperienced Cas was such a good kisser. He became flooded with memory after memory of Castiel, their first meeting, every little glance they'd silently given to each other without ever speaking about it later, how much they looked out for one another, their fight and separation, and how much it cut like a knife when he thought Castiel was a traitor, and even more so when he thought Castiel was gone forever.

And none of that mattered right now, because in this moment, everything was right. Everything was good and Dean felt no shame for expressing his girly feelings. He felt only inexpressible ecstasy. Being with Cas like this right now was perfect, and he could only imagine the days to come. They really, really, needed to get a room.

After probably a good twenty minutes of really hot kissing, and rubbing the hell out of Castiel's face stubble with his knuckles, Dean realized Castiel had pulled away and was looking at Dean.

"What is it…" Dean felt like using some term of endearment, but sweetheart, honey, and even baby didn't sound right, although that last one was pretty tempting and Dean was sure he was going to refer to Castiel as his baby several times in the near future.

Instead, he felt stuck with his experience with the whole situation, it was so new, this being in love, knowing Castiel loved him back, knowing that he'd been feeling this way for so long and keeping a clamp on it all, and now everything's changed. One moment of courage, and the whole world was his oyster, because what he's really been wanting all this time is Cas. Cas.

"What is it, Cas?" He said instead, making a mental note that he needed to let a baby slip in real soon, he was going to try that on for size, and see if Castiel liked him calling him that.

"I was afraid to tell you my true feelings, Dean," Castiel stated matter-of-factly. "You don't like to talk of such things, and I wasn't sure you returned my feelings."

"I do, Cas, I really do, and I'm so sorry I didn't say something sooner." Dean whispered, and leaned up against Castiel's face, rubbed his cheek against Castiel's. "I'm sorry for both of us." He nibbled Castiel's ear on impulse, and Castiel let out a small moan.

Dean pulled back and looked at Castiel, smiling. "Okay, we really need to have some quality time with each other real soon, in a place other than the car...Dammit, why do we have to be two hours from the nearest motel in this desert?"

"We're not," Castiel stated, and waved his hand, and suddenly they were parked right outside a budget motel with a lit up vacancy sign. "Dean, you were the one who insisted we drive. That mode of transportation isn't necessary though. Not with me."

Dean smiled wide. This night was just getting better and better. "Thanks for reminding me," he said softly, leaning in for a kiss, not caring at all if any onlookers were around. "I hope this means you're willing to explore where this is going, in a hurry?" Dean said hopefully, but added, "Unless you're not ready, of course. I wouldn't want to rush you…"

"If you think I can wait any longer to see where this is 'going', Dean, you are sadly mistaken," Castiel said nearly a moan in his deep voice. Castiel grabbed Dean's collar, gripped it tightly, pulled Dean even closer, and sunk his lips in for another heated kiss.

Mother. Of. God. At this point, Dean wasn't sure his dick could ever go limp again. "Okay, Cas, let's get in there now, this feels absolutely, incredibly, fantastically great, but it's going to feel a lot better when we have room to move…"

Castiel moved away, opened his door, and stepped out of the Impala. Dean followed quickly, and Castiel held out his hand, expectantly, towards Dean's.

Dean gawked for a moment. "Lovers always hold hands," Castiel said simply.

He called us lovers, Dean swooned. "Uh, yeah, but we're both men…you know what, fuck it." Dean didn't want to hold back anymore. He was so done with holding back. Holding back was the reason he'd missed so many lost opportunities with Castiel in the past. Dean grabbed the extended hand and it felt so right, so good to hold Castiel's hand like that.

And they walked right into the motel like that, hand in hand, the trench-coated angel with the rugged, flannel-shirted hunter.